Recovery – Anxious Crafter

Challenge Accepted!

The most important thing I have learned about myself is that I cannot control everything. Part of coping with PTSD is the desire to control everything, your environment, your family and the people around you. In doing so, you can develop unfavorable ways of manipulation and often, the result is the opposite. The outcomes are viewed as failure.

Failure is a word or idea that no one wants to have around. It can destroy your self esteem and lock you into a dark place.

To be successful, we must learn to let go. Things will not always be perfect or foster self growth.

My favorite way to simply ” let go ” is through watercolor. Think about it for a second. The water flows without bounderies on paper. You can set a few bounderies by using more or less water or maybe the size of the brush or paper. Many times, the creation of simple embossed edges can keep the color from going ascew.

The freedom to choose any color you wish.

We all need to let go sometimes.

Drop me a comment to let me know you were here.

As always, the support is very much appreciated.

Remember, Be still, create something beautiful ❤️

Hello, You’re Beautiful!

Consider this a subtle reminder with a not so subtle creation.

You are beautiful just the way you are 💕

Sometimes, life gets in the way. We get lost in who we are. Lost, in everyone else’s expectations of who we should be.

This was created for all those who may be lost.

When different media come together as one.

This card began as a card base covered with a strip of peach washi tape. The tape has the illusion of stray alcohol inks. The tape was sprayed with gorgeous copper mica.

Watercolor paper was then stamped with this gorgeous magnolias and embossed with matching copper powder.

I used my favorite Derwent graphitint watercolors to shade the flowers. Once dried, they were die cut and added to the card with 3D foam tape.

The card was finished with a strip of burlap ribbon that I picked up at the dollar store, more mica spray and shades of Nuvo dream drops.

Topped with the most appropriate “Hello, you’re beautiful” sentiment.

⭐Drop me a comment to let me know you stopped by. ⭐

Remember, Be Still and Create something Beautiful. 💕

Missing You

Did you ever have a day that just didn’t go well? No matter what you did, for whatever reason, it was crappy. For me, these kind of days are simple reminders. A reminder there is a bigger plan and your just a small part of it. My support system fell apart years ago with the death of my mother, my best friend.

Somehow, the thought of what used to be, came back. Maybe it was the smell of her perfume or cooking her favorite dinner. Perhaps it’s stopping to stare at her photo in my living room. The same photo that I walked past several times a day. My journey of healing has been a long one.

Enjoy my creation as I celebrate her memory. If she was still alive, this would have been made for her.

It took some time to create this card. I started by ink blending distress oxides over an embossed and stamped floral image. I used my favorite altenew white embossing powder for this. Once the first layer dried, I spritzed it with gold mica spray. Then I set it with a heat gun. Finally I dry de-bossed it with a 3D folder that matched.

The same image was stamped again but this time on watercolor paper. I embossed that image also but this time, I used my favorite rose gold powder. I then used a watercolor technique with the same distress ink stain, adding color for the flowers. The image was die cut and popped up onto a card front with foam tape.

This card was finished off with more gold mica spray and matching sequins.

What kind of struggles do you have with the death of someone you love? How do you cope?

Again, thanks for stopping by by. Leave me a comment to let me know that you were here. If you know someone special that is struggling right now, drop me a message and I will send this out to them.

Check out my affiliate links at the bottom for all the items used to make this card. I may be compensated if you use my links.

Just remember…. Be still, create something beautiful. Your not alone

Self Love

When was the last time you took some time for yourself? You did something to feed your soul? Something that helped your grow as a person?

For me, being a first responder, that concept is considered selfish. As a firefighter, we go to work, save lives and go home to our families. Many times, we do not think about the stress we place on ourselves or our families. The sacrifices we make to save others are huge.

Since my diagnosis of work related PTSD was given to me, I have learned that I am important. Important enough to take time for me. I took time off to feed my soul and enjoy life again. Its been tough but so enriching.

This card is dedicated to those afraid to let go and enjoy life. Do what makes you happy.

I intended this card to have calm and muted shades of yellow, greens and blues. I accomplished this by ink blending my card stock with tumbled glass and shabby shutters Distress Oxide ink. The paper was embossed with a technique using Altenew’s Geo Cover Die B. The paper was misted with water to prevent cracking because of the intricate pattern.

The muted flowers were cut from Altenew’s Wild and Free stamp set. I used my favorite shade of Blue Lagoon Crisp ink with Mango Smoothie and evergreen. The special 3D butterfly was a stamp cut from vellum and embossed with nuvo navy metallic powder. Dimension was created with foam tape.

Finally the sentiment from the same stamp set was embossed with the same navy powder to match and handwritten “be” was added with fineliner pen. Topped off with yellow and blue nuvo drops.

Its a simple reminder to take time for yourself. Wake up just a little earlier each day and enjoy the calm.

Thank you to everyone for all the comments and support.

Tell me what you think.

As always, Be still and create something beautiful. 💘

Choose Kindness

I was at the store the other day, picking up a few groceries. As I was leaving, I noticed an elderly woman in the parking lot struggling with a case of drinking water that had fallen off the bottom rack of her cart. Without a second thought, I put my bags down and helped her bt picking up the case of water and throwing it in my shoulder. I asked her where her car was parked and she gladly accepted my help. As we walked to her car, she proceeded to tell me that she was shopping for the homeless veterans that lived in a nearby shelter. The case of water was for those veterans.

Its interesting how things come full circle. I wasn’t just helping an old lady. I was helping a generous elderly lady that regularly helps others. 💘

This brings me to my inspiration for my most recent class project. The class taught me different techniques on how to add a little “shine” to my paper crafting. Me being, an “outside the box” kind of gal, enjoyed this class.

This card began with a wavy grid stencil over white card stock. I used antique gold paste over the stencil to create a shimmering background. The panel was heat dried and then cut to fit. Next used Altenew’s Rose Spray stamp set on a second white card panel. The stamps were inked with moss and paper bag inks for the leaves. I used peach perfect, buttercream and warm sunshine for the flowers.

The problem I had is when I went to die cut these, the stems didnt line up with my dies. It worked out great because I turned this into a second panel trimmed into a rectangle. This was a perfect fit for this card. Not too flashy but focused. I finished this off with the sentiment taken from my favorite Altenew Eucalyptus Jar stamp set.

Finally, I heat embossed the sentiment with a metallic green powder and added a few pale yellow nuvo drops.

Always choose kindness because you never know someone’s struggles.

I hope you find a little light and inspiration in this card. Drop me a comment and a follow.

Until next time….. Be still and create something beautiful 🌹

What’s your passion?

Perhaps, you still don’t know what makes you happy. When was the last time you tried something new? Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of what people will think? Who cares,

because at the end of the day, only YOU can make YOU happy.

I recently tried watercoloring. I was attracted to the forgiving nature of the ink and the bright colors. Coping with PTSD can be very challenging from day to day.

As most of you that follow me know, I have been exploring art as a coping mechanism. I have been searching for ways to learn and reach out to others in recovery.

Welp, here is latest project and very first watercolor design. I love this!

I started this with a teal layered card stock background on a 4×4 square card. I was looking for something a bit outside the box so I used shades of blue and green watercolor pens from Altenew. I sprayed adhesive onto the Altenew flowing hearts stencil and attached it to white watercolor paper. I wet the paper and filled the stencil with shades of blue and green watercolor.

Then, I let the paper dry before die cutting it with a scalloped heart die from my stash. I adhered it to blue card stock and cut a second heart base. Lastly, I taped the entire heart to my base card using 3D foam tape. I topped it off with matching sentiment from Altenew “A crafty life” stamp set.

Drop a comment below and follow me for more inspiration. Interested in art therapy? Reach out because your not alone.

Remember, Be still and create something beautiful 💘

For the guys…

Sometimes a simple “Thank you” just isn’t enough.

I have been single by choice for a long time. Perhaps it was fear of something new. Low self esteem, thinking that I just wasnt good enough.

Either way, I have had many influencial men in my life. My adopted father who earned the title “Dad” through his actions. My maternal grandfather whom I recently lost. My bestie whom I also recently lost. My always helpful neighbor. My many firefighter and medic co-workers. Many of these men gained my respect and trust.

For that, I say thank you. This recent creation is dedicated to all of the men in my life.

This card was made slimline style. I started with a circular pattern Altenew washi tape that I placed on 80 lb white card stock and cut out the circles.

Then, 2 layers of card stock was cut for the front. One was heavy kraft paper and the other was navy classic card stock. The kraft panel was decorated with nuvo glitter paste through the altenew wavy grid stencil. The kraft panel was heat set and then placed on the navy panel using flat adhesive strips to smooth the paper.

Finally, holes were punched in the circles and craft thread was added joining all three circles together. Foam tapes was added to the backs and adhered to the panel. The sentiment was stamped in jet black and taken from the eucalyptus stamp set. This completes this card for today. 💘

As always, I thank everyone for all the support, comments and emails that I have recieved. I am excited for those of you discovery crafting and art as healthy path to recovery.

Remember, its not you, its what has happened to you. Be still, in the moment and create something beautiful.

Drop your comments below.

Grow where you are planted

I couldn’t pass up sharing this pretty little piece of art with everyone. A simple reminder to continue to explore healthy ways to release stress. Grow where you are planted. Learn to play again. Dance in the rain. Love relentlessly.

The weekend is nearly here. Get out and go hiking, explore your backyard. Sunshine truly keeps the clouds away.

Aa always, that you for the tons of support I have recieved. If just one person benefits, my time is worth it.

Until next time, be still, create something beautiful 💘

Its none of your business what other’s think.

Altenew All About Layering 2 / Anderson – Create your own happy

Some of us just need to break the mold that we are expected to fit into. Its ok to do your own thing. Its none of your business what others think about you.

At the end of the day, all you have is you. Create your own happiness because your worth every bit of it.

This cool looking card broke the mold. I used Kraft card stock for the card base on this one with a double layer of cardstock on top. Most cards are made with a white card base.

Here is what I used to make this:

Kraft card base, sunflower card stock and rose color puffy heart cotton paper.

The flowers were stamped with Altenew “Airbrushed Flowers” which is one of the newest stamp sets.

The inks were Altenew Crisp Dye mini cubes of Permanent black, frayed leaf, fresh leaf, canyon clay, peach perfect, pastel sunrise, mango smoothie, warm sunshine and buttercream for a sweet muted look.

The card was put together by first stamping multiple layers of the image onto white 80lb card stock and then cutting them out. The leaf image was then stamped to cover the Kraft base. Next, the double layer background was carefully cut and added to the base. The airbrushed images were attached with foam tape and the sentiment was stamped and added from the same set.

I hope that this card brings you a smile and encouragement to create your own happiness.

As always, I can’t thank you enough for the support that I have received. If you haven t subscribed, go ahead so that you will get a heads up on all my new posts.

Drop any comments and suggestions in the box.

Coping With Chaos

Things seems so out of control these days. How are you coping?

Most of us have lost control over many of the things we took for granted. Our employment, our family and some of our simple freedoms.

I am the type of person that always had a plan B, just In case. In case of what? A pandemic? Well that is kind of crazy, or so I thought. Its not so far fetched anymore.

This is certainly where I have been blessed to have had a plan B.

You see, the pandemic with its associated forced isolation, caused my PTSD to spiral out of control. It was undiagnosed at the time. The signs were there but, being a firefighter, it was considered part of the job.

Unknown to me, I had been coping for quite some time effectively. Hitting the gym after being up all night with your third cardiac arrest and your second multi alarm fire of the shift. I would hit the gym, hard. I worked myself to exhaustion so that I could catch some sort of sleep without Visions and dreams haunting me. I left it all in the gym. To me, it was better than hitting the liquor with the boys for breakfast.

I coped with the chaos everyday. In an odd way, the more I sweat, the more fear and guilt I got rid of. The abnormal became my normal. It was my life.